Assignment

Analytical questions

1. Many have praised Dante's use of symbolism in his inclusion of Christian, Hebraic, and Greco-Roman elements and in his description of his own moral education, of the cosmos, and of the types of sins and punishments. Describe and assess what you think are his 3-5 most successful uses of symbolism, and contrast those with at least a couple of his less successful uses.

2. Dante tries to synthesize all the learning of the Christian, Hebraic, and Greco-Roman traditions. From which does he draw the most and with which is he most successful? Explain.

3. Evaluate Dante's rank order of sins. Does his moral hierarchy make sense as you view human behavior today? Consider Dante's basic assumptions as well as his ordering of specific types of sin. Consider at least one type of sin in each of Dante's three general levels of Hell. If you agree with Dante in general, are there specific judgments with which you disagree? Explain.

4. Explain how the moral universe created by Dante is consistent with the doctrine that "God is love." If not, explain why not.

5. How do Virgil's lectures and admonitions affect Dante's attitude and moral perspective? Is Dante totally uncritical of Virgil? If Virgil symbolizes reason, what value does Dante give it? How does it relate to love or to emotions? In what ways do you agree or disagree?